CLEMThe Page of Clement Desperate DespaultA
Pretty Unique Character in a Sport Where Characters Are Vanishing

According to Clem , himeself,
he ended up in the racing game when convinced to drive at the new Thunder Road
track in Barre, by track creator Ken Sqauier, himself. It not clear why Squier
chose this young man from Morrisville because Clem Despault was a real baseball
star in his region. Clem says he did watch an uncle race at one of the tracks in
Colchester in the 1950's; so, he was already aware of the burgeoning new sport
that had spawned dozens of short - lived tracks in or near his home town.
Clem says that Squier provided him with a late
model Studebaker with which to fashion a B Class racing entry. The rest is
history. Despault went on to be a star, particulary at Thunder Road [and he did
pretty well at Catamount Stadium, as well]. Clem first appears as a feature
winner at T Road in 1964. He would win a track championship at Thunder Road in
the late 1960's, going on to race late model sportsman cars into the '70's. Clem
never did have the money to run the expanding late model sportsman circuit, but
he did return to the "New Flying Tigers" support division into the 1980's. He
ran in that and in the ACT late models unitl 2013. Then, at age 74, he won a
race at Thunder Road and retired.

Courtesy of Cho LeeThe Studebaker

THE ORIGINAL FLYING
TIGERS

Courtesy of FlanaganAn extremely rare shot of
Clem in the Studebaker at
Catamount racing Jimmy Saltus.

Courtesy of Cho LeeAn early version of his trademark
Chevy Tigers.

Courtesy of Rich PalmerHis best - remembered
car ever.

Steve McKnight PhotoClem pauses after a
race at Catamount to
pose for a young
Steve McKnight.

Ladabouche PhotoThe Chevy, in 1970, on opening day at
Catamount.
He was using his same car now as a limited sportsman.

Courtesy of Cho LeeClem gets by as Bobby
Giroux hits the wall.

Ladabouche Collection
Clem works the wheel hard getting up on Jimmy Gates [38] and fighting off Moe
Dubois.

\Ladabouche Collection

THE INFAMOUS CATAMOUNT TIGER CRASH

Courtesy of Cho LeeAn early visit to Victory
Lane at Catamount.

Courtesy of Rich PalmerAbout to be clobbered by
an out - of - control Tiller.

Ladabouche CollectionClem takes the air and
begins his scary trip
off turn 3 at Catamount.

From The Outside GrooveThe car, midway through
the disaster.

Courtesy of Chris Companion
He checks out the car, probably marveling at how close he got to making
it out to the interstate.

Ladabouche CollectionA week after the crash,
at speed at Catamount.

THE NASCAR
LATE MODEL SPORTSMAN CARS

Ladabouche CollectionClem chose Mopars, for some reason,
when the circuit went to the late
model sportsman car.